AUGUST 2007

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August 29

Wow -- been a long time since I got on and updated.  I'm sure you were just dying to know what I'd been up to.  Of course you were!  Otherwise, you wouldn't be back.  Given my limited memory and lack of interest in my own humdrum life, I certainly won't be posting every detail since Aug 4.  But, let's see where things are since I last posted.

Horse shopping is on hold.  Have a wonderful Dutch warmblood I've been riding who I ADORE.  He's such a delight to ride that I really don't feel compelled to look for anything else.  Plus, the owner offered for me to take him over the winter, which I would love to do.  We shall see.

The horse I made an offer on below -- today would mark the one month mark of when the owner and I would touch base with each other again to see if she'd take my offer.  At this point, I don't care.  Until my situation changes, I won't be seeking out a new horse.  Why buy when there is one that you can ride for free?  Plus, I'm the only one riding him -- pretty much. 

Have been riding a ton -- often four and five days in a row.  Just when I thought I was in shape, I realize there's plenty more pain my body can go through.  Have still been riding the pony here and there at Dave's barn. 

Got a new saddle.  Love it.  Still love my old saddle, which I don't even think is a year old.  It fits the pony better and I plan on keeping it.  It rides around in my tack room on wheels.  God forbid I should show up somewhere to ride without an assortment of bits, girths, pads, bridles and saddles to throw on any manner of horse.

Got the article written -- should be out now or any day now.  Just about killed me that one -- a real challenge and I hope when it comes out that others enjoy it and get something out of it. 

I go to ride my Dutch boy tomorrow.  He's such a big boy!  Over 17h.  I have to stand on the top plank of the fence to get on him.  Have been working on bending, flexing, straightness, lightness, rhythm.  I have barrels as markers on a 60' diameter circle with a chute in the center of it.  I practice trotting on that circle, which, when you have markers is a lot harder than you think to follow.  Then, once he's doing that well, or when he needs a break, I figure 8 in and out of it and in the center, I practice staying straight thru the chute, which is also very hard when you have poles as guides.  You simply realize how straight you are not.  He bends better to the right than he does to the left and I stop once he is bending and flexing well to the left.  After that, I do an easy canter around the field, then, bring him back around the barrels to do a more collected canter (very hard for him to do more than 2 or 3 times around) and once he's done that a few times, I let him drift back off the circle to a nice open canter back thru the field.  We change directions and repeat. 

What I love most about him is he needs no spurs, he makes no fuss, his adorable, HUGE ears are forward and flop the whole time and he is like riding on air.  He just glides along and I can go forever on him and never feel tired or beat up when I get off of him, like I do on other horses.  I don't know if it is because he is so big or if it is because of his movement.  But it is refreshing to ride him and I'm bummed when I can't.  I couldn't ride him last night or tonight because I had appointments after work that kept me from the barn.  I look forward to riding him again tomorrow.

That's pretty much all my horse news. 

August 4

Oh, horse shopping is so much fun.  So, I made an offer -- an offer I thought was quite respectable -- one that was more than what I intended on paying -- on the chestnut and it was promptly declined!  I'm used to a decline with a counter but this was a flat out decline.  Having seen a horse right before this one that had everything this one did for $2K cheaper, I know my price isn't out of whack.  So, I wished the seller well and told her my offer stood for a month (unless I find something before that), so we'll speak again at the end of this month. 

After that humbling experience, I stepped up my efforts to go beyond the usual horse shopping websites.  I now haunt no less than five online horse sales sites everyday.  On one, I even put a 'wanted' ad and have generated responses from that.  I called every friend I have that typically has good contact with folks that sell TBs and from that, I got some good referrals and am working those and expect a few more to come down the pipeline.  From the beginning, I designed a spreadsheet to manage all of my contacts and prospects.  I have over 30 entries on the sheet representing either a horse for sale or a person selling horses.  When it is all said and done, I will find the horse I want and it will come to me in my price range. 

Rode Mr. Simon the other night while Dave is away at a show.  What a good boy.  Simon is sweet and always has an adorable expression on his face.  He has huge eyes and his ears are always pricked forward.  He is a Mecklenburg and is a very big boy.  Given the heat, I kept it light, hacking both ways and worked on a little flexion and called it a night.  Was good to get my ride in.

Today, I am headed to have breakfast with Bevin, a friend I have not gotten to see in a long time -- almost a year, I think -- although we've spoken on the phone and chatted thru email several times.  Bevin coaches the George Mason riding team now which is really neat.  Will be great to see her.

After that, I head to Middleburg to pick up some reins I consigned that I think Dave will be able to sell for me at his barn.  Then, I'm off to Rosemount to do some interviews for my article.  And, it appears that might be my day.  Bob is home so I don't want to leave him to his own resources all day.  Would love to ride but after all the running around earlier in the day, I doubt I will have the energy.  Trying not to kill myself like I've done the past few weekends.

Tomorrow, I am hoping to see a horse in the morning and maybe line some more up later in the day.  Nothing really on the hook right now.

Off I go!